Come Out Please
by Silverback14
Summary: The Daroga attempts to coax Erik out of his coffin. He eventually does manage to get Erik to come out. In more ways than one. Based off a writing prompt I saw on Tumblr. Please read and review!


Come Out Please

By Silverback14

 _Dedicated to my friend Ariel_

I don't own anything in this story.

It was a big night at the opera house. The opera house was putting on a never before seen opera. The daroga paced back and forth in front of box five. The opera ghost's box. The daroga waited impatiently for Erik, the opera ghost himself. Where was he? Erik often times played tricks on him. Perhaps this is one of them. The persian thought. The daroga took his seat in box five. The orchestra began to play a soft melody. Like fog in a dark forest the music drifted into the mind of everyone there, except for one person. The daroga sat there troubled. Erik was rarely seen but he would never have missed this opera. Erik had been awaiting this for weeks. Christine Daae, the little soprano he was obsessed with, had the role of the lost child. She would have her own little solo. Just then Carlotta walked onto the stage, and belted out the first song. _Fearful am I for if my dream is not what I thought it ought to be. But what shall I do if it is? Where would my life's meaning be if my dream should be fulfilled?_

The daroga made up his mind to go and find Erik. What if something was wrong? Erik often times became violently ill when he was preoccupied. He wouldn't eat or sleep for days. The daroga slipped out of box five and went to one of Erik's secret trap doors. He followed the path down to the house by the lake that was underneath the opera house. The daroga had never entered the house by the lake, but he knew well enough that Erik would kill him if he crossed the lake by use of a boat. He'd still kill him should the daroga even get close to the house. But the daroga had to make sure Erik was alright. The daroga walked along the lake shore and was nearing the house. His jade eyes scanned the water for bodies. Living or dead. For Erik, the monster, could do many horrible things. When the daroga reached the house he was surprised to find the door ajar. How odd. He thought. The monster is usually more careful than this. The Persian slowly opened the door. He carefully walked inside. The interior of the house was beautifully decorated. Plush furniture everywhere. He was obviously in the living room. The next room over contained an organ. The daroga decided to do more investigating in the room with the organ. Inside the room was sheet music, a small music box, and a coffin. The daroga was at first puzzled by the coffin. He then remembered that Erik had slept in a coffin during his time with the gypsies as a carnival exhibit. 'The living corpse', they had called him. The name was without a doubt, very accurate. The daroga knelt down and put an ear to the coffin. Inside he could hear shaky breathing. "Erik, are you in there?" The daroga asked quietly.

"Daroga?" A small voice answered.

"Yes it's me Erik. Will you come out?" There was silence for a little while.

"No,"

"Why not Erik?"

"I-I. . . I feel lost," The daroga was slightly confused by this at first. But after years of knowing Erik, he came to the conclusion that this was Erik's way of saying he was scared.

"Why do you feel lost Erik?"

"The one that I love. . . They'll never love me back. I'm a monster. I'm cruel. I'll hurt them. I am too ugly to be loved," The Daroga assumed he was talking about Christine Daae.

"You don't know that. If they can put up with you at all then there is a good chance that they might love you," Erik was silent for awhile. "Will you come out now?" The daroga asked.

"No,"

"Erik, please stop being so stubborn," The daroga rolled his eyes.

"Nadir please I. . . I. . ." The daroga was beginning to become frightened. Erik almost never called him by his real name. This was serious. "Nadir I'm scared. I'm losing myself again. Only now there is something new about me. Something I did not know before," Erik had just admitted he was scared. The daroga was now on the verge of ripping open the coffin. Perhaps Erik was dying, or even worse, planning on dying. And of course Erik had to make it worse by speaking in riddles.

"Erik, come out. Come out please." The daroga almost began to beg. This was not like his Erik at all. Wait. Had he just called Erik his? The daroga was distracted from these thoughts by the sound of the coffin lid squeaking open. Inside lay Erik. He was a skeleton as usual but there was something different about him. His yellow eyes didn't shine as brightly and his raven colored hair had lost it's luster. He lay limp, holding himself gently. Tears ran down his mask. Erik shook gently and his breath was shaky. "Erik, when was the last time you ate something?"

"A few days ago," The daroga groaned.

"Come on, I'll go get you something to eat," The daroga went to the kitchen and tried to find food that wasn't too rich. He couldn't risk Erik throwing up. He found some bread and some left over broth he could heat up over the stove. After he gathered the food he went back to Erik. Erik tried to prop himself up on an elbow, but failed and fell over.

"Nadir. . ." The persian placed the food on the floor and went over to Erik. He gently lifted Erik out of the coffin and over onto the floor. Because Erik couldn't sit up, the daroga had to hold him and prop him up. Erik rested in the daroga's lap and laid his head against his chest. Erik slowly lifted the broth to his mouth and drank it quietly. The daroga helped him hold the bowl so he didn't drop it. The daroga had never seen Erik this weak.

"How long have you been in your coffin?" Nadir whispered softly. Erik finished the broth and laid his head back on Nadir's chest once more.

"I don't know. It feels like a day or two though," Erik reached for a slice of bread and nibbled on it tentatively. Nadir held him a bit tighter.

"Feeling better?" Nadir asked softly.

"Yes," Erik closed his eyes.

"Good," They both sat in silence for a little while.

"Nadir?"

"Yes Erik?" Nadir looked down at Erik.

"Promise you won't leave me?" The daroga was taken back by this question. Erik often times asked him to leave him and to stop meddling in his business and called him horrible names. Why would Erik care if he left or not? "Please?" Nadir smiled.

"Of course I won't." Something still troubled the persian. "So what is it that is new about yourself that is frightening you? If I am to help you I must first understand the problem," Nadir began to absentmindedly run his fingers through Erik's hair. Erik shifted around and buried his face in Nadir's chest. He began to tremble like a leaf. Nadir began to rub Erik's back in an attempt to soothe him. "It's alright, you can tell me anything. We have been through so much Erik. I've seen you kill so many times, do so many horrible deeds. How bad could this secret be?" The daroga's shirt became damp as Erik once more began to cry softly.

"I have feelings for someone I shouldn't. Someone who is not Christine. I don't know what to do Nadir," The daroga let out a sigh of relief.

"Is that all? Erik, it is perfectly fine to have fallen in love with someone else. It is not as though you and Miss Daae are a couple. I simply don't see the problem," Erik began to sob loudly.

"Oh Nadir, if only it were that simple!" Erik clung on desperately to Nadir's shirt.

"Well, who is she then?" The daroga asked calmly. Erik choked back a sob.

"That's just the problem. She is a he." Erik hiccuped and continued to weep. The persian was taken back. This was not good. Not good at all. The times they were in did not look kindly upon homosexuals. Although, no one really knew Erik existed. Still, this development was going to get Erik in trouble. He was already putting himself on thin ice with Miss Daae, if the person he had fallen in love with was not a homosexual as well, Erik could be found and turned in. "It's not that I don't love Christine anymore. My love for her burns brighter than ever. There is just someone else. Nadir I'm scared, and confused. I don't know what to do," Nadir began to rock Erik back and forth gently.

"Nothing. Do absolutely nothing. Do not pursue this man as you have done to Christine. You cannot risk being caught," Nadir said gravely. Erik nodded solemnly, his face still hidden in Nadir's shirt.

"He already knows all about me," Nadir's eyes widened in fear.

"Who?! Who have you told Erik? God protect you if he should betray you. You fool Erik! How could you trust this man if you barely know him? You fool!" The persian began to stand up, but Erik clung to him like death.

"Nadir! Nadir please don't leave me! Please!" Erik began to cry once more. The daroga's heart felt like it was being torn in two. Erik had never been this vulnerable, never been this open with him. But Erik was still a fool to tell this man. Nadir did not want to be around when the police came to arrest Erik. For if this man truly knew all about Erik, he would know of his murders, and his location. The persian roughly pushed Erik off of him. "Nadir! Please don't leave me! Please, I'm begging you! Nadir. . ." Erik curled up into a ball on the floor and began to hyperventilate. Erik's crying broke the persian's heart. As he turned around the corner and left the room he heard Erik softly say: "I told you he would not love me. You broke your promise Nadir, you left me. I knew you wouldn't love me. No one can. No one can love me. I'm a monster," Erik's sobs quieted down a bit. "I've come out. Just like you told me. Why did you leave me Nadir? I did what you asked. I understand why you hate me. I still do not know why I love you," The daroga knew these words were not meant for him to hear. Nadir sunk slowly to the ground and covered his mouth with his hand. Nadir began to cry softly. Oh god what a fool he had been. Erik had not jeopardize his life. He had risked his friendship and nothing more. What a fool Nadir thought himself to be. He had hurt Erik ever so much. Nadir took a deep breath and stood up. He walked back into the room where Erik lay curled up in a ball crying softly. He did not look up as the daroga sat down beside him and rubbed his back.

"I'm not leaving. I made you a promise," Nadir picked him up and held him close. Christine could be heard singing above them. She sounded beautiful, though she still had a long way to go. Nadir gently kissed the top of Erik's head. Erik looked up at him with eyes still full of tears. Yellow eyes that seemed so broken and yet, so full of hope. Nadir smiled warmly. He pressed his forehead against Erik's. "I love you," They sat there awhile, just listening to Christine sing. Nadir whispered in Erik's ear "Thank you for coming out,"

 **So Yeah…. Thanks for bearing with me throughout this monstrosity. Please review! Don't be afraid to tell me you hated it!**


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